17th Century Will examples?

[Mamac]

Hello, I have a Will from 1630 and will be attempting to transcribe the 5 pages. I'm aware of the tutorials from the National Archives which cover handwriting styles, but I wondered whether there was a transcribed example online that I might refer to. I'm not familiar with much of the terminology used and was hoping for a "leg up" before I take on this task.

[goldie61]

The site 'Shakespeare's World" has a lot of pages on Paleography.
https://www.shakespearesworld.org/#/guide/general
They may have some transcribed examples of there.

This site has a lot of terms used in wills and general information:
https://www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files/Glossary.html

This Nottingham University site is a mine of information.
If you scroll down this page, there is an image of a will (albeit from 1762), and a transcription of it.
It gives you an idea of how wills are composed.
https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/researchguidance/deedsindepth/associated/will.aspx

You could always put, say, the first part here on Rootschat, where no doubt some one will be able to give you a head's start. 

[Mamac]

Thanks for the links Goldie61. I think they will be most useful. In the meantime, I've transcribed what I THINK might be correct, but am stuck on a few words. This is what I have:

"In the name of God Amen the Six and twentith day of October Ao Dmi 1630
and in the sixth yeare of the raigne of our Sovraigne Lord Charles by the
grace of god & king of England ?
of the faith ?? I Solomon Shorter of Newington groome in the county
of ??

And have attached the original here. Any corrections would be most welcome :-)

[goldie61]

........king of England Scotland France and Ireland defender
of the faith etc.........

.........of Newington greene in the County
of Midd* Gent being att this p(re)sent sicke and weake in bodie........

*Midd - an abbreviation for Middlesex I'd think

p(re)sent - you'll find the 'p' with superscript can variously represent 'pre', 'pro' 'per' in context.

Note it's 'greene' not 'groom' after Newington - he's not likely to be a 'Gent' and a 'groom'! 

[Mamac]

Thank you so much for your help Goldie61. It makes sense for Midd to be an abbreviation of Middlesex. I can see further into the Will that he bequeathed property in Middlesex to his son.

Thanks also for the correction to greene. I was wondering how a groom could have been wealthy enough to own property:-)

[Mamac]

Hello again,
Is it possible to decipher a couple of words which I cannot understand please? It's the second last line.

Thanks!


In the name of God Amen the Six and twentith day of October AO Dmi 1630
and in the sixth yeare of the raigne of our Sovraigne Lord Charles by the
grace of god & king of England Scotland France and Ireland defender
of the faith &c I Solomon Shorter of Newington greene in the county
of Midd Gent being att this psent sicke and weake in bodie, but of good
and pfecte minde and memory thanks bee therefore given to almightie
god. Doe make and Declare this my last will and testament in
writinge in manner and forme following that is to say First and
principally I comend my Soul into the hands of almightie god, father
Sonne and holy ghost. Trusting and confidently beleeving by the meritts
death, passion resurrecion and ascension of his deare sonne and my
alone and all sufficient saviour Jesus Christ to be saved and to have
full remission and forgivenes of all my Synns and iniquities And my
bodie I comitt to the earth from wherre it came to be decently and
christianlike buryed att the Discretion of my Executrix hereunder named
And as concer my such lands Tenements goods and chattells as god of
his infinite mercye hath endorsed me wth all, I give and bequeath
the same in manner and forme following that is to say Inprimis whereas
I have for good consideraton me mo??? by agreement ??
to pay unto Anthony Danser the some of Sixteene pounds of

[goldie61]

..considerac(i)on m(or)e moving by agreement undertaken.......

'tion' ending on words were more often than not spelt with a 'c' at this time instead of a 't', so the word 'considerac(i)on' has a 'c' (the same as the first letter of the word) instead of a 't', and there is a little contraction mark above to show there is a letter missed out, (the 'i').

I see you have transcribed two words 'psent' and 'pfecte'.
The 'p' at the start has a letter superscript to show this is a prefix and not just the letter 'p'.
So you'd transcribe it as 'p(re)sent', and 'p(er)fecte'.

[Mamac]

Thank you so much Goldie61

I now understand the contraction mark, which I didn't think meant anything! I'm hoping that having deciphered the first page of this Will, the next 4 pages will become easier. Certainly I am understanding the writers hand a lot better with your help.

Thanks once again, I really appreciate it.

[horselydown86]

..considerac(i)on m(or)e moving by agreement undertaken.......

I've been puzzling over the Latin in the other post and just come to this one.  I'm inclined to think it's me moving:  that is, the good consideration motivated him to make the agreement to pay AD the sixteen pounds.